Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cent as Cuban Spanish gives way to Mexican. Radio stations also shift from Cuban reg-
gaeton and hip-hop to brass-style mariachi music.
You could pass a mildly entertaining afternoon walking around Homestead's almost
blocks of Krome Ave extending north and south of
Old Town Hall
(41 N Krome Ave)
. It's a
good effort at injecting some character into 'downtown' Homestead.
With that said, let us give Homestead huge props: it houses two of the great attractions
of the Florida roadside, one of its best hostels and an incredible farmers' market. Yup: four
'top picks' in one town.
1
Sights & Activities
o
Coral Castle
CASTLE
$15/12/7;
h
8am-6pm Sun-Thu, to 8pm Fri & Sat)
'You will be seeing unusual accomplishment,' reads the inscription on the rough-hewn
quarried wall. That's an understatement. There is no greater temple to all that is weird and
wacky about South Florida. The legend: a Latvian gets snubbed at the altar. Comes to the
US. Moves to Florida. Hand carves, unseen, in the dead of night, a monument to unre-
quited love: a rock compound that includes a 'throne room,' a sun dial, a stone stockade
(his intended's 'timeout area') and a revolving boulder gate that engineers around the
world, to this day, cannot explain. Oh, and there are audio stations situated around the
place that explain the site in a replicated Latvian accent, so it feels like you're getting a
narrated tour by Borat.
Everglades Outpost
WILDLIFE RESERVE
donation $20;
h
10am-5pm Mon, Tue & Fri-Sun, by appointment Wed & Thu)
The Everglades Outpost houses, feeds and cares for wild animals that have been seized
from illegal traders, abused, neglected or donated by people who could not care for them.
Residents of the outpost include gibbons, a lemur, wolves, cobras, alligators and a pair of
majestic tigers (one of whom was bought by an exotic dancer who thought she could in-
corporate it into her act). Your money goes into helping the outpost's mission.
